I skiined out my first bluegill today and I accidentally cut the throat latch loose. I am planning to mount the fish with the filler method. How do I reattach the throat latch. Please help..
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Just mix your filler a little thicker when you get to the throat area. I just did a bluegill, no head or tail. I put in some thick filler in the tail, then put in some thinner filler with the wood block, and then thicker filler the rest of the way up. I am useing a cast head I did of the bluegill, so I just kept shaping it and let it set up. You can do the same, just put it a little thicker in the throat latch area, bring the head in to position, and just keep checking it. If you have to much, take some out, if not enough add some. Even if the next day you do not like how it looks, you can still add or subtract the fish filler. I have a refridgerator I can put my fish in over night if I want them to dry a little slowwer, I also use skin so soft on the fish fins and gill flap, it helps in slowwing down the drying time, and the fins do not look as flat. I put them between two pieces of wax paper, I think that was in one of the taxidermy magazines a while back. Don't worry just give it a try.
Just get a needle and thread and sew it up. Then add you filler either before you sew or after. Like Rw said, just mix it a little stiffer and you should be all set. The litle sew knot will be invisible after finishing work
All my psan fish I use the fill and half cast method. Guess what . I cut the throat latch to clean much easier. When you fill in the half cast just make sure evry thin lines up. Push with a tool in the breast area shaping as it starts to set up if you over stuf and squeeze out the excess which I usually don't have much and work it with the tool you will have it come out fine. Maybe pin whil drying. But easy fix.
agree just sew and fill.